Sales competencies

Mandatory competencies Optional competencies

Sales – questionnaire content

Mandatory Competencies

Commercial and financial awareness

The ability to apply understanding of the company & industry to improve effectiveness &
profitability

 Bases decisions primarily upon the benefits to the business

 Concentrates on delivering results which bring the clearest commercial benefit

 Demonstrates an understanding of how the different parts of the organisation work together

 Ensures own work is in line with the direction of the organisation

 Identifies opportunities to gain commercial advantage by exploiting competitors' weaknesses

 Is able to use sound financial logic to propose a convincing case to influence the business
direction

 Keeps up to date with commercial developments within the industry

Communication

The ability to give and gather information and to actively manage the communication process

 Asks questions to find out others real views and check understanding

 Conveys complex information in plain language

 Has a manner, style and presence that makes a positive impression

 Listens to and considers others views

 States own views clearly and concisely

 Tackles disagreement constructively

 Uses electronic communication channels appropriately and in a way that generates a positive
reaction in the recipients
Customer focus

The pursuit of the highest level of customer service

 Anticipates future customer needs and trends

 Focuses on identifying opportunities to benefit customers

 Offers advice and guidance in responding to customer enquiries

 Shows respect and friendliness to customers

 Strives to resolve customer concerns

 Talks and listens to customers to clarify their real needs and expectations

Delivering results

The ability to focus oneself and others on achieving specific outcomes

 Challenges those who fail to achieve the required standards

 Effectively implements company initiatives

 Encourages others to aim high and exceed normal expectations

 Focuses effort on priority tasks and activities to achieve maximum results

 Is able to progress several issues simultaneously

 Manages projects successfully from inception to delivery

 Sets realistic deadlines, tasks and standards for others

Influencing

The ability to influence and persuade others

 Anticipates how people are likely to react and prepares appropriately

 Continually assesses a situation and adapts behaviour accordingly

 Has the appropriate skills to turn objections into positive outcomes

 Is good at influencing senior people and winning support for a case

 Is persuasive without being aggressive

 Makes a strong & positive impact in a group

 States own views & opinions & backs them up with clear evidence

Integrity and Ethical management

The ability to work ethically according to professional & company values

 Accepts responsibility for own work & decisions

 Admits mistakes

 Gives credit to deserving parties and does not take credit for the work of others

 Is loyal to the company and its principles

 Maintains principles even if short term commercial advantage is compromised

 Sticks to decisions which have been made and stays true to their word

 Uses positional and personal power with care and restraint

This competency reflects the ability to be resilient and to achieve through repeated effort

 Maintains motivation and focus when under pressure

 Perseveres over a period of time to achieve an end result

 Progresses with the task even in the face of personal frustration or disappointment

 Refuses to allow earlier setbacks to affect future situations

 Remains calm, professional & focused, acting as a role model in difficult situations

 Stays positive in the face of interpersonal conflict or disruption to plans

 Steps back from a difficult situation to understand what is going on & why

 Sticks to the task in hand, even if practical difficulties arise

Selling Skills

This competency reflects the ability to sell products and services effectively and in an ethical
manner

 Able to handle the pressure to sell more when targets are raised

 Accurately diagnoses the critical issues facing the buyer

 Actively prospects to find new opportunities to sell

 Builds trust by not trying to sell things that buyers do not need

 Deals with scepticism, objections and rejections positively and objectively

 Focuses discussions on benefits and features most appropriate to the needs of the buyer

 Makes the most of new opportunities to sell e.g. good at turning leads into appointments

 Works inside the appropriate ethical guidelines or codes of practice

Time Management

The ability to make most effective use of one's own time and that of others

 Challenges the need to go to irrelevant or time wasting meetings

 Gets the job done without procrastinating or delaying.

 Is constantly aware of what is the best use of their own time

 Is punctual and a good timekeeper

 Only uses email when it is the most efficient and most appropriate form of communication

 Resists temptation to take on other people's problems at the expense of own productivity

 Says 'no' assertively when time is not available

Adaptability/Change Management

The ability to respond & adapt to changing circumstances and to manage, solve problems and
provide solutions in a climate of ambiguity

 Adopts ideas used successfully elsewhere

 Challenges conventional views to benefit the business

 Enthusiastically accepts beneficial change

 Generates innovative ideas and solutions

 Identifies when changes are needed

 Suggests ideas for possible improvements

 Translates ideas into practical solutions

Developing self

The ability to focus on own development and to take action to learn.

 Actively seeks feedback to assist with continuous self-improvement

 Evaluates own performance

 Is able to accurately identify own development needs

 Open to learning

 Reviews & consciously learns from experience

 Sees own development as important

 Takes responsibility for setting up their own learning opportunities

Motivation

The ability to support and encourage individuals and teams, so that they give of their best

 Demonstrates belief in the abilities of others

 Displays genuine interest in people and their progress

 Gives praise and open recognition

 Has strength and maturity to support individuals and teams through difficult circumstances

 Involves others and encourages full participation

 Motivates others through personal example

 Takes time to discover what motivates individuals

The ability to plan, organise and prioritise work. Balancing resources, skills, priorities and
timescales to achieve objectives

 Allows for contingency in plans

 Concentrates effort on priorities

 Ensures own work is accurate and timely

 Holds structured, productive meetings

 Identifies clear targets and priorities

 Plans for the long term

 Reviews and reassesses plans and priorities on a regular basis